Paul Coughlan returns to Cork Golf Club this weekend, aiming to go back-to-back at the C20 Group Munster Men’s Stroke Play Amateur Open Championship following his breakthrough win in the event last year..
The Castleknock golfer captured his first championship crown in impressive fashion last season, producing a final-day performance that saw him turn a six-shot deficit into a four-shot victory. Now, as Coughlan returns to the Little Island course, he will look to draw on that experience as a motivator towards more success.
“That was my first championship one. I had a couple of runners-up and near misses as well. It was nice to get one over the line”, said Coughlan.
“I wouldn’t say I have blown the previous ones, but I’ve kind of been caught. I was like, I could really do with just getting one over the line, just getting that monkey off my back.”
Coughlan entered the final round in 2024 with a narrow two shot lead, but with a chasing pack that included Darragh Flynn (Carton House) and playing partner Brian Doran (Millicent) closing in behind him, the plan was to stay strong and continue with the tactic that had gotten him to the top of the leaderboard.
“I just remember having a bit of a tussle with Brian (Doran) going into the last round, it probably helped me kick on a bit more, I just knew I wasn’t safe”, said Coughlan.
“I knew that the boys in the group behind weren’t too far back either, so it was just play aggressive the whole day.”
That attacking mindset proved crucial and is something he plans to maintain this time around.
“I’m driving it pretty well again like I was last year,” said Coughlan. “I think it would be kind of take the same tactics. As they say, don’t change a winning formula.”
A 75-strong field including West of Ireland champion Dylan Holmes (Greystones), Flogas Irish Boys’ Amateur Open Champion John Doyle (Fota Island) and the recently returning Stuart Grehan (Co. Louth) will also be looking to add their names to the trophy this year.
While Coughlan’s win last season marked his first championship win, it also brought about a shift in mentality as the once more cautious and tactical player now competes with intent to win.
“I’m a lot more confident in my own ability now. I can kind of just go at things to try to win the tournament. It used to be a case of just plot your way around, more afraid of an error, more so than trying to make gains, so now you are just playing to win”, said Coughlan.
The C20 Group Munster Men’s Stroke Play Amateur Open Championship begins at 7:30 am on Saturday as Zack Devlin (Cobh), Conor Hickey (Dooks) and local Cork hopeful Ian O’Rouke get proceedings underway before Coughlan begins the defence of his crown at 9:40 am alongside Keith Egan (Carton House) and Harry Gillivan (Portmarnock).
The event once again sees four rounds of stroke play beginning tomorrow, before the top 30 plus ties make it through to Sunday’s final two rounds.
View the first and second round tee times here
